2009  Ethnographic contextual study on elderly in Asia

This study is the starting point for my interest in researching the elderly.
This particular population has been coming of age since WWII, but it took many years till
companies and marketers focused on this new and active group.
Aging has become a diverse process and so has this demographic.

Studying people beyond the categorization of ‘empty nesters’, observing their transition to pensioners,
seeing how they deal with aging and what kind of solutions they find for their changing needs
in life is very interesting to me.  I like to create awareness and empathy for this ‘new’ and ‘old’ target group,
so that services and products designers can design for, and with, this very interesting target group.
See below some impressions from my fieldwork.

Japan: Toys for Adults

Elderly quarter Sugamo in Tokyo

Philips Heartstart in Tokyo

Pricing for elderly

Chinese Lady getting her laundery

Morning gym by loudspeaker Tokyo

In front of an elderly residence in Kobe

Keeping fit playing tabel tennis

Self-Check for bloodpressure

Cartoon for fire alarms in Japan

Advertisment China

Enjoying afternoon nap Nanjing China

Mobile for elderly in Japan